


Echoes

by desFraisesPartout



Category: BIRDMEN - 田辺イエロウ | Tanabe Yellow
Genre: Character Death, Character Study, Drabble, Gen, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:48:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22763491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desFraisesPartout/pseuds/desFraisesPartout
Summary: The broadcasted tweet from the American Birdmen came as a surprise to Tayakama the other day. Not that he thought there weren’t any comrades outside of Japan, but that were that many. Since then, he started paying more attention to what he was listening to. Sometimes, he could hear faint echoes from all around the world.
Kudos: 7





	Echoes

**Author's Note:**

> Takayama is hard to read, but that doesn't mean he can't feel. This is an exploration of his PoV by the end the infamous chapter 33 "World's End".  
> This is the translation of "Les Échos" : https://archiveofourown.org/works/22710892

The broadcasted tweet from the American Birdmen came as a surprise to Tayakama the other day. Not that he thought there weren’t any comrades outside of Japan, but that were that many. Since then, he started paying more attention to what he was listening to. Sometimes, he could hear faint echoes from all around the world.

Though, most of the time, his hearing was flooded by Eishi’s inner monologue or Tsubame’s apprehensions; or by Kamoda racking his brain over some homework; or by Rei having an epiphany while leafing through one of his art books; or by sudden calls for help.

But tonight was peaceful. No blackouts. No wandering thoughts. Takayama could finally focus on the echoes. And yet, he couldn’t hear anything. At all.

He sighs. Better luck tomorrow. 

…

…

…

Then, an echo reaches his ears. 

The young boy jumps out of bed, then bounces off the edge of the opened window in direction of the ocean. This wasn’t the call he was waiting for. This one was exhausted and sounded miserable. Takayama flies harder. The voice was weakening.

…

…

…

Closing in on the shores, Takayama sees a stranded black mass. He lands nearby. This was a comrade for sure, but they weren’t moving and their wing mass covering their body was a mess. He picks them up gently. At his contact, their helmet recedes, showing an half burned face. They were weezing, but manage to smile as they open their remaining good eye.

Takayama recognizes Arthur, the bellwether that broadcasted the tweet full of hope and yearning to meet everyone. The blonde birdman looks relieved to finally be able to meet his idol, but at the same time, to drown in guilt. His wishful thinking, of wanting to be a hero, to save everyone, made him lose everything in the end, even his lover. “Is it so wrong to want to be free?” keeps seeping from his mind. 

Takayama could feel his comrade’s immense grief and senses him melting from relentlessly questioning his every action up to now. The black haired one disrupts his train of thoughts, trying to reassure him, by saying that he started the hands of the clock and that the right “time” would come.

Arthur smiles faintly. They could have become friends, were he dealt a better hand… He sighs lightly as the light leaves his eye. The echo has died out.

…

…

…

Takayama feels tired, tired of being a witness, tired of being powerless, tired of waiting. But the countdown had started. He would be idle no more, waiting for echoes to reach him. He would become the source of them.


End file.
